2018-19 Season | Point Guard Discussion

[AzStevenCal]

He is 20 years old, not 18. He has played against grown men in Europe. He has some meat on him, he is not a twig. Go watch Eddie Johnson talk about it on the media day feed from yesterday. I have no problem with the coach throwing him into the starting line up if he thinks he is the guy.

I have no problem throwing him into the starting lineup even if Koko just thinks he will become "the guy".

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns do not make any moves at PG, I believe Canaan is the most ready to start if healthy.

 

[Mainstreet]

If Okobo does work out we'd be in great shape. Instead of spending next years cash on a PG we could use the money for a PF.

This would be like hitting the lottery. If Okobo proves to be the PGOTF, the Suns can go after the best available player in free agency.

 

[95pro]

I just see too many short comings for Harrison, I think he the odd man out.

Canaan gets the nod as a starter. Okobo and Melton fight for back up minutes and one of them eventually panning out to become the starter. They have a higher ceiling than Canaan does imo, they're both younger, Okobo has better vision and Melton is regarded as a defensive PG and can now possibly shoot.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I'd go with Canaan to start and let the young guys take some minutes, let the best ones play.

And then when Minnesota is predictably exploding, trade for Tyus Jones who will be annoyed at his lack of PT.

 

[taz02]

Hmm... fingers crossed, I guess.

Fingers crossed sounds like a good plan.......but I wouldn't hold your breath, you'd be dead for sure...haha

JJ as a PG sounds like a real pipe dream. I can see JJ, Booker and one of our hopeful PG's all sharing the duties until we land or identify a starting PG on our roster.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I just see too many short comings for Harrison, I think he the odd man out.

Canaan gets the nod as a starter. Okobo and Melton fight for back up minutes and one of them eventually panning out to become the starter. They have a higher ceiling than Canaan does imo, they're both younger, Okobo has better vision and Melton is regarded as a defensive PG and can now possibly shoot.

Canaan is the contract easiest to cut. I think he will have to be clearly better than the others to make the roster. I get that most think Canaan is the most ready to start. But training camp could change things.

I really do like the fact that every one of the four point guards is a very good defender and a quality athlete. It makes the evaluation process primarily about how they impact the offense.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Fingers crossed sounds like a good plan.......but I wouldn't hold your breath, you'd be dead for sure...haha

JJ as a PG sounds like a real pipe dream. I can see JJ, Booker and one of our hopeful PG's all sharing the duties until we land or identify a starting PG on our roster.

I think JJ as a pg is more as a secondary ball handler on occasion, not in any substantial role.

 

[BC867]

He is 20 years old, not 18. He has played against grown men in Europe. He has some meat on him, he is not a twig. Go watch Eddie Johnson talk about it on the media day feed from yesterday. I have no problem with the coach throwing him into the starting line up if he thinks he is the guy.

If that is so, I would rather see Okobo come off the bench and play against subs before going all the way.

If he is "thrown" into the starting lineup to immediately go against top tier NBA Point Guards, the damage could be irreparable. I expect that Koko knows better than to do that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If that is so, I would rather see Okobo come off the bench and play against subs before going all the way.

If he is "thrown" into the starting lineup to immediately go against top tier NBA Point Guards, the damage could be irreparable. I expect that Koko knows better than to do that.

I just don't see this risk. The league throws rookies to the wolves every season. Unless he's years away from being years away, I'm in favor of giving him playing time as long as he's doing the work they ask of him.

My concern about Okobo is all the Leandro Barbosa comparisons. I don't know how accurate they are but if they are that similar, we're still going to need to find a starting pg. I loved Barbosa but he was a liability as a starter. Scoring is great but hopefully Okobo has a better understanding of how to run an offense.

 

[BC867]

I just don't see this risk. The league throws rookies to the wolves every season. Unless he's years away from being years away, I'm in favor of giving him playing time as long as he's doing the work they ask of him.

My concern about Okobo is all the Leandro Barbosa comparisons. I don't know how accurate they are but if they are that similar, we're still going to need to find a starting pg. I loved Barbosa but he was a liability as a starter. Scoring is great but hopefully Okobo has a better understanding of how to run an offense.

I think we are saying the same thing. Giving him playing time, absolutely. Making him the starting Point Guard from the get-go, well, "rookie" covers the whole season.

And I absolutely agree with your comments about comparisons to Barbosa, if that is what it is. Barbosa was never a Point Guard. He was just too small to be Shooting Guard. His best play came outside of the rotation as instant offense off the bench. A valuable tool as a 10th man in a 9-man rotation.

 

[SirStefan32]

Oddly enough, I think a young Barbosa would actually work on the current roster, especially if he were a little better defensively (which Okobo appears to be). We gave Barbosa a lot of crap, but really, NOBODY was able to back up Steve Nash. Nash was the system, and when he sat, nobody else could run the same show. Greatest success of a backup PG came when Gentry created an entire second unit that played a non-Nash system.

Suns have Booker now. Whoever the point guard is, Booker is going to run the show. PG needs to bring the ball up the court, take the tougher defensive assignment, be able to hit an open three, and take over when Booker starts getting double-teamed early. If Okobo is really a Barbosa who can defend, he will be an excellent fit.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Oddly enough, I think a young Barbosa would actually work on the current roster, especially if he were a little better defensively (which Okobo appears to be). We gave Barbosa a lot of crap, but really, NOBODY was able to back up Steve Nash. Nash was the system, and when he sat, nobody else could run the same show. Greatest success of a backup PG came when Gentry created an entire second unit that played a non-Nash system.

Suns have Booker now. Whoever the point guard is, Booker is going to run the show. PG needs to bring the ball up the court, take the tougher defensive assignment, be able to hit an open three, and take over when Booker starts getting double-teamed early. If Okobo is really a Barbosa who can defend, he will be an excellent fit.

I need to see what happens in camp, but I am open to this possibility. When I watch the film of Okobo, all the tools are there. If he is not carrying the world on his shoulders for the whole offense, he could be a fit. Defense is going to be a lot tougher in the NBA, so that might be a question too.

 

[1Sun]

If that is so, I would rather see Okobo come off the bench and play against subs before going all the way.

If he is "thrown" into the starting lineup to immediately go against top tier NBA Point Guards, the damage could be irreparable. I expect that Koko knows better than to do that.

My fear precisely, and I don't know that Koko knows better than to do that, because Koko is a rookie head coach.

 

[SirStefan32]

My fear precisely, and I don't know that Koko knows better than to do that, because Koko is a rookie head coach.

Igor has been coaching in the NBA for 18 years, under Gentry, Snyder, Larry Brown, etc. He also studied under Zeljko Obradovic, a European legend. I assure you that he knows what to do and what not to do far better than you do.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Igor has been coaching in the NBA for 18 years, under Gentry, Snyder, Larry Brown, etc. He also studied under Zeljko Obradovic, a European legend. I assure you that he knows what to do and what not to do far better than you do.

Yep. Okobo's personality seems to be quite stable and the offense is not completely dependent upon the point guard. I think he will be OK as long as he is not being "gifted" the role. By that I mean that he cannot be given the role without earning it on the practice floor and keeping it by performing in games. He should not be the starter because he is the pgof. If another point guard on the roster is better, that player should get the job. Clear open competition.

 

[Mainstreet]

Igor has been coaching in the NBA for 18 years, under Gentry, Snyder, Larry Brown, etc. He also studied under Zeljko Obradovic, a European legend. I assure you that he knows what to do and what not to do far better than you do.

I'm hoping Igor brings a breath of fresh air to the NBA as head coach sort of like the boost the Suns received when they hired D'Antoni. I still think there is a lot the NBA can learn from European style basketball.

 

[1Sun]

Yep. Okobo's personality seems to be quite stable and the offense is not completely dependent upon the point guard. I think he will be OK as long as he is not being "gifted" the role. By that I mean that he cannot be given the role without earning it on the practice floor and keeping it by performing in games. He should not be the starter because he is the pgof. If another point guard on the roster is better, that player should get the job. Clear open competition.

You mean like Bender and Chriss? We all saw how that worked out. Now if he beats out an actual NBA level point guard...

 

[JCSunsfan]

You mean like Bender and Chriss? We all saw how that worked out. Now if he beats out an actual NBA level point guard...

Bender was not gifted anything. Chriss was.

I do not mind getting a vet point guard that would be a long term solution or doesn't cost much. But I am tempted to hope they don't get anyone just no make you fret more.

 

[1Sun]

Bender was not gifted anything. Chriss was.

I do not mind getting a vet point guard that would be a long term solution or doesn't cost much. But I am tempted to hope they don't get anyone just no make you fret more.

Cute. Chriss was gifted the position because the only one he had to beat out was Bender...

 

[AzStevenCal]

Cute. Chriss was gifted the posituon because the only one he had to beat out was Bender...

Sure but he kept that position because we were tanking. That was the beginning of our "timeline". From a winning standpoint, I'm less concerned about our PG situation than I was about our Chriss/Bender power forward situation 2 years ago. Granted, that's not saying much.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It’s odd, but I am more comfortable about the pg situation with Knight gone than if he was here, and I was holding some hope Knight would have a positive impact. I guess I knew deep down it was not going to work out but it would be painful going through the process of determining it. Now it is done and we can move on to something else.

 

[slinslin]

My preferred lineup would still be, none of the PGs we can acquire should have the ball in their hands over Booker anyway.



Ayton/Chandler/Holmes
Anderson/Warren/Bender
Ariza/Bridges/King
Jackson/Daniels/Reed
Booker/(Harrison/Melton/Okobo)

 

[Phrazbit]

My preferred lineup would still be, none of the PGs we can acquire should have the ball in their hands over Booker anyway.



Ayton/Chandler/Holmes
Anderson/Warren/Bender
Ariza/Bridges/King
Jackson/Daniels/Reed
Booker/(Harrison/Melton/Okobo)

I don't think it starts but I agree that this, or something close to it, will likely be our best lineup; and so long as we're competitive, will close out games.

As it should. If we're ahead I think Warren likely replaces Anderson and Ariza slides to PF. If behind, I think Anderson stays and Bridges likely replaces Jackson.

Unless one of our point guards has learned to shoot.

I know there are some posters here who fear that this lineup will potentially cause Booker's arm to break or his head to fall clean off his torso... but I invite them to ask themselves what responsibilities every other decent team bestows upon their best player (assuming they are not 7 feet tall).

 

[overseascardfan]

If PHX doesn’t land a true veteran PG in part it may be they aren’t willing to pay the price in terms of assets or maybe the staff feel that the wings have enough ball handling ability and the ability to create not only for themselves but for others that if the (Booker, Bridges & Jackson) can collectively average 10 - 12 apg then that will suffice particularly with the defensive advantage of putting Bridges or Jackson on the opposing PG since that is supposedly their strength.